Biographies
Eugene Burton Russell.
Journalism
is
probably the medium through which men become more widely known than
in any other avenue of business or learned profession. Not always are
they brought in this way before the public as personalities, but more
as influences, their printed thoughts and opinions reaching thousands,
where their spoken ones could be heard and appreciated by only
comparatively a few. Hence the responsibility of the journalist is of
exceeding weight, and a community may often be judged by the stability
and tone of its newspapers. There have been times—not too
infrequent—when a newspaper has forced reformatory legislation, and
occasions have arisen where the fourth estate has been influential in
changing the public policies of the country. From college halls, Eugene
Burton Russell came to Cedartown, Georgia, and entered into newspaper
life. During more than a quarter of a century of connection with
journalism, he has not only succeeded in making a name and a place for
himself in his adopted community, but has also assisted materially in
the development and progress of the locality where he chose to carry on
his activities. He is now half owner of the Standard Publishing
Company, a thriving enterprise; editor of the Cedartown Standard, one
of the best conducted newspapers in Northern Georgia: and a man of
influence in business, financial, civic and political circles.
Mr. Russell was born in Clyde, Ohio, January 10, 1863, and is a son of
William and Annie (Worst) Russell, natives of the Buckeye State. The
father, a man of education, passed his life in educational pursuits and
died in 1889, and the mother died in Cedartown in 1915. His sister,
Miss Delia Russell, has been a teacher in the public schools here since
1895, and is well and favorably known as an educator.
Eugene Burton Russell received his early education in the graded and
high schools of Clyde, Ohio, being graduated from the latter in 1880,
at the age of fifteen years. At that time he began to learn the
printer's trade, thoroughly learning every detail of the business, in
which he was in after years to become most successful. At the age of
twenty-one years, he entered Baldwin University, Berea, Ohio, and was
duly graduated therefrom in 1887, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts.
In the fall of 1888 Mr. Russell decided to settle in 'the South, it
being his intention to enter the real estate business, and he
accordingly came to Tallapoosa, Haralson County, Georgia, to look over
the ground for an opening. In the spring of 1889 he changed his mind
about remaining permanently at Tallapoosa, and came to Cedartown, where
the opportunity presented itself for him to enter the field of
journalism. The Cedartown Standard was offered for sale, and the county
seat of Polk County needed a good, live newspaper. Mr. Russell saw
there was an opening for such a venture, if conducted along proper
lines, and another young, energetic and ambitious man, Mr. W. S.
Coleman, became interested with him, and the two bought out the stock
and the newspaper outfit. Then began a campaign that after a long, hard
struggle eventuated in the building up of a successful and popular
newspaper. For a time the old shop, type and presses were used, but as
soon as the partners found their business was growing sufficiently to
warrant it, they built a suitable and commodious brick building, and
equipped this with the best of modern printing presses and linotype
machines, and all equipment which goes to make up a thoroughly
up-to-date newspaper plant. The Standard has grown and expanded
until.it now has more than 2.500 subscribers, with excellent
advertising patronage from the merchants and professional men of
Cedartown.
The Standard was founded by a stock company in 1887 and was first
edited by the late Montgomery M. Folsom, of Atlanta, and one year later
was edited by Charles Langworthy, who conducted it until it was sold to
its present owners. Mr. Coleman, while still a half owner of the paper,
has devoted his attention entirely to other business since 1907. The
Standard is a well-edited, well-printed paper, its editor endeavoring
to give his readers all the reliable news, with up-to-the-minute
editorials, all presented in an interesting and entertaining form.
Aside from the publishing of the Standard, \he Standard Publishing
Company carries on a successful job printing business, having all
facilities for first-class work of every kind.
Mr. Russell has interested himself in other ventures, financial and
commercial, and was one of the organizers, in 1908, of the Farmers and
Mechanics Bank of Cedartown, of which he is a member of the board of
directors at this time. He is secretary of the Chamber of Commerce and
an enthusiastic promoter of any movement that will make for better
civic or business conditions. He has taken a leading part in
educational work in Polk County, and for four terms was an active
member of the school board, his further public service including three
terms as a member of the city council of Cedartown. He is the member
for Polk County of the board of trustees of the Seventh District
Agricultural and Mechanical School at Powder Springs. In political
matters he is a democrat, and has long been an active worker in the
ranks of the party. Mr. Russell is a member of the Blue Lodge and
Chapter of Masonry, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which
he is Past Grand, and of the Knights of Pythias, of which he is a Past
Chancellor. His religious connection is with the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, of which he is steward and treasurer.
In 1889 Mr. Russell was married to Miss Susie Robb, of Cuyahoga County,
Ohio, daughter of Jackson and Marie Antoinette (Chatfield) Robb,
natives of New England. Mrs. Russell is a member of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, and takes an active part in promoting
education, literature, philanthropy and civics, being a lady of
culture, refinement and extensive information regarding matters of
importance. She was president for the years 1914 and 1915 of the
Cedartown Women's Club, which was organized in 1910 and that same year
joined the State Federation of Women's Clubs
Adamson,
Charles, lawyer, manufacturer, founder, was born March 17, 1859, in
Philadelphia, Pa. In 1882-90 he practiced law in Philadelphia, Pa.; and
in 1889-90 was a member of the city common council. In 1890 he
organized the Cedartown land improvement company of Georgia. In 1896 he
organized the Cedartown cotton company to make fine hosiery yarns; in
1898 organized the Southern extension cotton mill company; and in 1899
organized the Paragon mills; and in each of these corporations he was
either president or manager. In 1899 he consolidated these three
companies, aggregating twenty-five thousand spindles, becoming
vice-president of the corporation. In 1896 and 1904 he was a delegate
from Georgia to the republican national conventions. In 1907 he was
president of the Southern association of hosiery yarn spinners.
[Herringshaw’s National Library of American Biography: Contains
Thirty-five Thousand Biographies of the Acknowledged Leaders of Life
and Thought of the United States, by William Herringshaw, 1909 –
Transcribed by Therman Kellar]
